BLOG: Kickstart Wellbeing Programme

13 Jul BLOG: Kickstart Wellbeing Programme

Summer 2021

Here at Oakleaf, we are very pleased to be able to continue running our ‘Kickstart’ Wellbeing Programme, one of our latest projects which began in January of this year to help clients’ take those necessary steps towards a more positive and healthy lifestyle.

While it’s easy to think of ‘body’ and ‘mind’ as two separate things, your body needs a healthy mind to function well and vice versa. Mental health charity, Mind, say people with mental health issues are more likely to have a poor diet, smoke, drink alcohol and be overweight or obese. But there are small changes we can all make that bring a big difference to our lives and our mental health, and it starts with moving more, eating better and trying new things.

So, we thought we would share a little bit of insight into how our 12-week intensive Kickstart programme enables us to improve our clients’ physical health and in turn, impact positively on their mental wellbeing. 

One of our participants really benefitted from the course at a time when their mental health had left them unmotivated and lost:

“I cannot thank Oakleaf enough for the opportunity to participate in the 12 week Kick-Start to Nutrition & Fitness with Liane. I started in January, several pounds overweight with a horrific food intake and at a loss with what to do regarding fitness. My mental ill-health prevented me from doing anything about it.”

Liane, our qualified wellbeing coach and personal trainer, guides the participants through a mixture of group sessions and one-to-one training. She helps them to set personalised goals for themselves at the start of the project, for example: a specific level of weight loss, a physical achievement such as running 5km or a target to reduce their blood sugar level; each of which are reviewed throughout the course and reflected upon after the full 12 weeks.

“The one-to-one sessions with Liane were better than I could’ve imagined. A lot has been said about key-workers in this pandemic; Liane is one of those hidden treasures. Nothing was too much for her and the encouragement and compassion that was provided made us all feel so special and cared for. Always a smile on her face, always reassuring, and never forcing you to do anything you are not ready for. What’s more, I have made several new friends from it and we all feel we have come through something unique.”

The programme is free of charge, and carefully tailored to provide significant benefits for clients and is delivered through a combination of face-to-face activities either in-person in Guildford or delivered remotely by the instructor broadcasting live to participants in their homes. Participants also receive fitness equipment including a resistance band and yoga mat. 

Each week includes 2.5 hours of activity for 8 participants consisting of: 1 hour of group fitness (plus one additional hour of one-to-one fitness in the first and final weeks), 1 hour of nutrition looking at diet plan, healthy eating and food preparation (plus one additional hour of one-to-one diet advice at the start and close of the programme) as well as a half-hour of weekly one-to-one client support.

“I have been to many gyms and classes in my years but at 57, this course has seen the most significant change in me. I now look at exercise techniques as well as what I fuel my body with completely differently, which has made my mind stronger and helped my self- esteem and confidence. I feel I can face the strange world that we live in with a better stride and a smile on my face.

“Thank you Oakleaf  and Liane for putting me on the road to recovery – oh, and 1.5 stone lighter!”

– Oakleaf Client

If you would like to learn more about our Kickstart Wellbeing Programme or would like to sign up, please get in touch with our Client Services team: info@oakleaf-enterprise.org

If you are able to donate to Oakleaf and help us provide much-needed mental health, employment and wellbeing support, we would be incredibly grateful—we now need you more than ever: https://justgiving.com/oakleaf